Today's feature is with Angie from Foto Macro. If you hadn't guessed from the name of her shop, she specializes in macro photography. She takes some absolutely breathtaking pictures. If you know me at all, then you know my love of butterflies. Check out this one she captured below!
Tell us your name and a little about yourself.
My name is Angie Lilly and I am also known in the cyber world as Tofu Fairy!
Here is a little bit of info about who I am and what I find important:
*I am a HUGE animal lover and have had as many as 13 fur babies (cats in my case) living with me at any one time. I currently have nine.
*I am a passionate environmentalist and do everything I can to be "green," including, but not limited to and constantly changing/adding to,: recycling, composting, living a vegetarian lifestyle, buying locally and organic whenever possible, harvesting rainwater, reusing gray water, using only non-toxic/eco-friendly/petrochemical-free/vegan household cleaners and bath/body products, conserving water and energy as much as possible, etc.
*I am an avid gardener (flowers and, for the first time last year, veggies).
*I am a birder and have 13 bird feeders and 4 bird baths in my yard.
*I am an activist: for art, music, animals, children, the environment, freedom of speech and religion, human rights, and anything else that may come my way that I am passionate about.
*I have always had a photographer's eye, but not until 2008 did I get the camera that allowed me to make my art a reality and allowed my passion to come through.
*I am also a poet, with a BA in English specializing in Creative Writing.
*Most importantly, I share my life with my partner of over 20 years, Scott, and am more in love with him now than when we met.
What led you to start making the things you do, and how long have you been doing this?
As I stated previously, I have always had a photographer's eye. I am one of those people that is always saying "that would make such an awesome picture." However, it was not until the winter of 2008, when I got the camera I now have, that I was able to make my art/vision a reality and my let passion come through.
What inspires you most?
One word: Nature. I love macro photography so much because it lets you get down and dirty and see all the nitty-gritty details of nature that you often miss in daily life. I am not opposed to laying on the ground to get a shot. I often think of myself in a bug's mind, as in "what would this flower, moss, insect, etc. look like if I were an ant."
Tell us one of the most memorable things while creating or selling your art/craft.
I love the reactions of my friends/family/buyers when they find a shot I have taken that makes them feel something. I love when I myself am surprised by a detail I capture. I also really love when I take a picture and there is a surprise in it. One such surprise is a picture of a flower I took in my backyard and, when I uploaded it (all my work is digital), I found out that I had taken a picture not only of the flower but of a crab spider hiding amongst the flower petals!
Do you have any advice for other artists/crafters?
My advice would be to follow your passion. Also, do not forget why you started your art. I was getting pretty involved with the local art scene, even participated in a show at one point, printing up business cards and passing them out, and was making lots of connections; however, even though I enjoyed this, I found that it was becoming work and no longer fun or spiritually fulfilling. I stopped pursuing the art events for a while because of this. I do not want to turn this passion into a job. I think its very important to keep your passion and your work separate as much as possible.
Anything else you’d like to add about yourself or your work, etc…
I have recently become inspired by my cats and by objects around my home due to the weather not cooperating with being outside. I am planning to start adding these sorts of found art pictures to my Etsy site in the near future.
Make sure to show Angie some love and stop by her Etsy Shop, Twitter page and/or Facebook page.
3 comments:
AMAZING! I have always loved photography, mainly of my kids as my not always cooperative subjects. BUT mine was for fun...THIS truly IS art!!! Bet she didnt have to say, now stay STILL to that butterfly a hundred times!
I always have thought photography is more art than painting, drawing, sculpture...because you often have moving target!
VERY nice "interview" and presentation. i WILL look at Angie's site. thanks!
How gorgeous!! I really love photography-If I had enough wall space I would probably collect it :)
Great feature! I'll have to check out her found object pictures(they sound very interesting).
Gorgeous photos! The butterfly is amazing, they are one of my favorite things to photograph also.
Thank you for featuring her, Mel.
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